High school wrestling: Season gets underway this week

Wrestlers are ready to put the singlets back on for competition as the high school wrestling season gets underway this week.

Some squads have already had duals, but a majority of the teams get the season this weekend.

The Hanks Tournament, which includes Hanks, Americas, Bowie, Parkland, Riverside, Andress, Las Cruces Centennial and Mayfield, is Saturday. The Chapin Tournament, which includes Chapin, Austin, Jefferson, Irvin, Burges, El Paso, Socorro, Eastwood, Bel Air, Ysleta, Fabens, San Elizario, Las Cruces and Oñate, gets underway today and concludes Saturday. Franklin, Coronado, Montwood and Del Valle will all compete in a quad at Coronado High School on Saturday.

"For the boys, we have seven returning regional qualifiers, but we also lost seven seniors," Del Valle coach Carlos Armendariz said. "Out of those seven, four are seniors. We have a good mixture of experience and very young kids. We should do very well.

"(For the girls) it looks like we have a full lineup that's going to be very competitive this year."

A number of top area wrestlers from last season are returning this season, including Franklin junior Alex Jimenez (195 pounds), who finished third at the Class 5A state meet last season, and Cougar teammates junior Emilio Carreon (170) and senior Masahiro Ward (160).